Mo gasped in faux outrage. “I thought I was the best?”
Eliza released Bronwyn and ran straight to Mo, but instead of hugging him, she jumped and he caught her.
She giggled and whispered something in his ear.
Mo’s face was usually all sharp lines and angles, but in the presence of Eliza, it softened into something so beautiful that Bronwyn had to stifle a gasp. A wicked light filled his eyes, and he spun Eliza upside down. She screamed in delight. He pulled her back up and said, “Just for that, I’m going to eat all the cookies.”
Eliza squealed with glee as he tickled her.
“We’ve covered this, young lady,” he said. “I’m your favorite. Got it?”
“Yes, Uncle Mo! You’re my favorite.” Her giggles only eased after he stopped tickling her, and then she said, “But Aunt Bronwyn’s tied for first.”
Okay, now she really was going to melt.
Mo narrowed his eyes and pressed a kiss to Eliza’s forehead before he returned her to her feet. “I’d say you chose your favorites well, so I can live with that.”
Bronwyn all but ran from the kitchen and collided with Cal. “Whoa! What’s lit your shorts on fire?”
“Nothing. I’ll be right back.” She slipped past him and went to her room, closed the door, and leaned against it, gasping for air. What was happening? What was wrong with her?
She’d spent years building up her defenses against Mo. For a time after his last betrayal, she went full no contact. It had beentricky, but she rebuilt her relationship with Cal and Meredith while avoiding anything that would put her in the same space as Mo.
Then Landry’s stalker situation forced her to figure out how to livewithoutavoiding Mo, and for the past year or so, they’d existed in a messed-up but manageable détente.
She’d forgiven him. Mostly.
She just didn’t think she could have him in her life.
Or she hadn’t thought she could.
Bronwyn sat on the edge of her bed and tried to process what was happening with her emotions. This squishy feeling when Mo was around? She’d experienced this before. And she had to stay far, far away from it, not just for her own sake but for his and for their friends and family.
The knock on the door was her only warning. The door opened, and Meredith’s voice preceded her. “Beep?”
Landry followed close on her heels. “Bronwyn?”
“I’m here. I’m fine. What’s wrong with you two? Since when do you barge into people’s bedrooms?”
“I beg your pardon.” Meredith’s tone was hoity-toity. “I would never barge in. I knocked first.”
“You didn’t wait for a response.”
“Didn’t I?” Meredith looked at Landry. “Huh.”
Landry and Meredith stood by the bed. “It’s like she’s trying to get away from us.”
“Us?”
“Well, somebody. It couldn’t be us. We’re awesome.” Landry delivered the line while staring at Bronwyn. “Right?”
“You’re awesome.” Bronwyn’s response was automatic.
“Good. As your friends, we can chase you down when you exhibit bizarre behavior,” Landry said. “I’m relatively new to the girlfriend rulebook, but I’m confident it’s in there. Somewhere.”
Meredith nodded. “Oh, it’s in there. We would be less awesome if wedidn’tchase you down.”
Bronwyn gave them a slow clap. “You two should try stand-up. How much practice did that take?”
